BBC Welcomes Jonny Richards from Disney, Former Exec of ‘A Thousand Blows’ and ‘Rivals’
BBC Appoints Former Disney Executive Jonny Richards to Drama Commissioning Team
The BBC has made significant staffing changes by appointing Jonny Richards, Disney+’s Director of Scripted Originals in EMEA, to its drama commissioning team, effective this summer. This move aims to bolster the BBC’s commitment to producing high-quality drama content.
Richards has spent nearly five years at Disney, playing a pivotal role in developing a slate of notable projects, including Steven Knight’s boxing drama A Thousand Blows, the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, and Jeff Pope’s Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, along with Shardlake, starring Sean Bean. Recently, he received a promotion amid a push by EMEA content chief Angela Jain for more European originals.
Before his tenure at Disney, Richards was involved in development at Element Pictures, renowned for producing Normal People. He also had experience working with Channel 4.
Richards’ arrival comes just weeks after the passing of Danielle Scott-Haughton, the commissioning editor for Peaky Blinders. Tanya Qureshi also recently departed from Salt’s team to lead Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap in the UK. Richards is not intended as a direct replacement for either role but aims to bring fresh perspectives to the BBC.
“Jonny is highly respected across the industry and possesses extensive experience and credits. He understands what constitutes world-class drama, making him a fantastic addition to our team,” said a spokesperson from the BBC.
Richards expressed enthusiasm about his new role, stating, “It’s a real privilege to be joining Lindsay and the brilliant team at the BBC—a place whose breadth and quality of drama has significantly influenced me. I have cherished my time at Disney and feel fortunate to have collaborated with remarkable colleagues. I’m excited to work with our industry’s exceptional writers and producers at the BBC to discover resonant stories and voices that entertain audiences across the UK.”
